Sun and Sea
by Tasia'sENDLESSDreams
Summary: She's the girl with the smile of sunshine. His eyes and willpower match the Mediterranean. When sun meets the sea, something beautiful is bound to happen. (TakuxMegu drabbles. Prompts are considered and encouraged!)
1. Fountain-Juniper-Puddle-Ribbon

**DRABBLES INCLUDED:**

 **FOUNTAIN**

 **JUNIPER**

 **PUDDLE**

 **RIBBON**

* * *

 _Import Message (A/N):_ _ **Hey you! Yes, that's right, you! The desperate TakuxMegu fan reading this story!**_ _You can scroll through and read the chapter first, but make sure to come back and read this author's note for a life-changing offer!_

 _Have you recently fallen down the rabbit hole of the beautiful curse that is Takumi Aldini and Megumi Tadokoro as a "thing"? Have you tried suppressing your ridiculous fangirling/fanboying, due to the limited amount of folks jumping aboard your ship of choice?_

 _Do you want to help the fandom, but your crippling lack of time to dedicate to a full project stifles your ability to contribute? Could you care less about coherent plot lines as long as you get a sweet hit of the drug that is Totsuki's two most adorable Cinna-muffins, interacting in any way possible?_

 _If so..._

 _THEN DO I HAVE A DEAL FOR YOU!_

 _This story is a collection of TakuxMegu drabbles of various lengths and context. None of these are bound by canon, timeline, time, space or even your imagination. Follow these easy steps to participate:_

 _1\. Give me a one word prompt in a review that you'd like me to make a drabble about._

 _2\. I take on the challenge and write said drabble._

 _3\. I post said drabble request, among others, in chapter updates._

 _4\. We all get our fix. Everyone wins!_

 _Here are some examples of the length and type of drabbles I will do in future chapters. Not all of them have to follow a canon plotline, and some can be longer than others. Let me know any prompts or scenarios you'd like._

* * *

 **Fountain**

Megumi had an ornate fountain near one of the campus buildings she liked to rest at in between classes. It was nice for moments that weren't spent trailing after Souma. She'd never complain about that time in the slightest, but time to rest in her own thoughts was nice too. She caught Takumi sitting near the same spot one day, just staring deeply into the water. He could have been waiting for his brother since the two were rarely seen apart.

Megumi took a seat a few feet away from him on the wide fountain edge, but even at that distance, his concentration broke and he nodded toward her, acknowledging her with a faint smile. They didn't say anything, which was nice. Megumi didn't have to waste nervous energy coming up with just the right words. She could simply enjoy the moment.

 **Juniper**

Whenever Tadokoro-san was around, Takumi could swear he caught the faintest scent of sea salt, crisp winter air, and juniper trees from the mountains. These were far from identical to the citrus-laced seascapes he was used to in the Mediterranean, but for some bizarre reason, it still evoked in him a sense of home.

 **Puddle**

Megumi kept a brave face most of the time, but years of self-doubt, peer scrutiny and their aftermath, could not be cured in one semester.

Today was one of those days she couldn't escape her own sense of inadequacy. It had been triggered by a comment of a classmate who still revered her as a parasite of Yukihira Soma's success. As much as she knew they were wrong, that didn't stop her from retreating to a hallway corner after class and dissolving into a puddle of tears that she felt foolish for crying in the first place.

This was how Aldini Takumi had come across her, and she was mortified that such a prestigious classmate and friend had witnessed her looking so pathetic.

"Tadokoro-san?" Takumi asked. His eyes were wide as he crouched down to inspect her, a chivalrous fire behind them.

"T-T-Takumi-kun?" Megumi sputtered, pulling herself together rapidly and removing the evidence of tear stains on her cheeks. "No, I-I'm fine! I-I was just-"

She struggled to put together a proper sentence, but all Takumi did was produce a handkerchief from his blazer pocket, proudly embroidered with the name of his family restaurant. He offered it to her silently, his face full of concern. She took it, apologizing profusely for inconveniencing him as he helped her to her feet.

"Come on, Tadokoro-san," Takumi said softly, ushering his classmate somewhere brighter with a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's a crime for a remarkable young lady to waste precious tears. I hope whoever caused them, knows they'll have an Aldini to answer to."

He didn't press her for any details, he sat next to her on a bench as she put herself together, and he even escorted her to her next class after break. She tried thanking him for his kindness, like a broken record, but he only smiled softly and insisted that she keep the handkerchief.

It left her with a feeling of warmth that seemed to dry up every puddle waiting spring forth from her soul.

 **Ribbon**

Takumi may have been fluent in Japanese due to his father, but he was still learning when it came to cultural references. There was one he had recently come to know as the "red string of fate," and he found it rather interesting.

In legend, it was an ethereal crimson ribbon tied around the pinkie finger that bound you to someone you were destined to create an important story with, preordained by the hand of the gods. It certainly appealed to his natural Italian romanticism, but fate and destiny was never something Takumi put too much stock in. He would always let his natural passion and talent drive him in the direction he wanted to go, but that had curved slightly when he came to Totsuki Academy. At first, if he had to, he would have attributed his "red string of fate" to his rivalry with Yukihira Soma.

Every time he was around that redhead, there was a tug of deja vu. A subtle warming sense of inspiration, as if he was exactly where he needed to be. Certainly, the red string was signaling that his life would revolve around his pursuit of battle with such a worthy opponent. However, every food battle and place he took stock of that feeling, he began to notice one more factor he had overlooked. Every instance he felt that odd tug, someone else had been present.

A shy bluenette, sporting hands folded anxiously and a supportive smile that took all the courage she had to muster, had been there too.

Tadokoro Megumi had always been behind Yukihira, acting as an infinite well of encouragement. She was always following his crazy plans and was behind the scenes of every battle and endeavor, doing what she could to help. As much as Takumi had first believed it to be a singular devotion she had to Yukihira, he knew now that wasn't true. Her devotion encompassed every single person she met, every person who was willing to accept her compassion and invitation of friendship.

Every class they had together, she would go out of her way to greet him and relentlessly praise any of his creations. She made a point to personally invite Isami and him to any Polar Star gatherings or celebrations, even when he publicly declared his intentions to crush her best friend in a Food War on a regular basis. She had been waiting in the wings during his match against Subaru in the Autumn Selection tournament. After his failure, the loss of his precious mezzaluna and the strike to his twin's pride, Megumi had sent dozens of calls, texts and delivered treats through his brother to verify his well being. All that, when all he had wanted was to be forgotten by the world.

Every time he was around her, he could feel that same sense of devotion emanating in his direction as she stood, hidden behind the antics of Yukihira Soma. And through every new encounter, Takumi couldn't deny, that somewhere a tug on that invisible string, grew just a little bit stronger.

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ _I hope you all liked this sample platter of TakuxMegu one was your favorite? Please leave the drabble prompt words you want in the review section, and I'll do my best to take on the challenge._

 _This is a great relief when I'm currently trying to catch up on my existing fics and an original fiction project at the moment. It's also nice to make the existing TakumixMegumi fan pool just a tiny bit bigger! ;)_

 _Until next time, Ciao!_

 _Tasia'sEndlessDreams_


	2. Courage-Hand

**DRABBLES INCLUDED:**

 **COURAGE** _(Connected to "Ribbon")_

 **HAND** _(Connected with "Courage")  
_

* * *

 _*I definitely recommend cueing up a nice piano instrumental of the Spice! ending theme song from the first season, then get ready to cry as you read this. Or any emotional background music really. Enjoy! More notes for you all at the end!_

* * *

 **Courage**

Megumi wanted to cry.

Not for herself, but for her friend, who couldn't bring himself to leave the darkness of his bedroom because his spirit was too broken.

This was the second time she had visited the Aldini's apartment since Takumi had lost his match in the Autumn Selection. Isami advised that the blonde had rarely been seen for the past few days. He was certain his brother couldn't stand to face their peers right now.

By this point, Megumi had begun to enjoy several blossoming friendships outside of the Polar Star Dormitory. She believed she had gotten to know Takumi at least well enough to consider him one of them. He could fight through almost anything, that she was sure of. He was very much like Soma in that respect, even if he would comically insist his superiority and planned to prove it one day.

However, when a person like Takumi had their pride in the things they truly loved was shattered, well, in Megumi's own experience-that was a blow that would take some time to heal.

She had tried everything she could think of after Takumi's match to lift his spirits. Now the series of events that now led her outside of his bedroom door flashed by in her mind.

She had stayed behind with their friends the day of that match. Everyone had tried swarming Takumi with reassurance when he exited the venue, but sympathy was clearly the last thing the Aldini wanted. His name as a chef, his years of experience and developed style had been savagely chewed up and spit back in his face. Words, no matter how kind, could never help that.

He hadn't been rude to them, he'd just seemed vacant. Like the sentiments being expressed to him weren't quite getting through. Like the people in front of him weren't actually where he was looking.

It had amazed Megumi how much she could identify with that expression on his face.

This was the great Aldini Takumi, after all.

Megumi had never come across him during their mutual time attending Totsuki Academy's junior high school. She had always been in the lower tier classes and out of the limelight, but oh-the stories she heard once she had begun asking after their encounter at the summer training camp.

Takumi made his way to the top-tier of the Totsuki junior high division in no time after transferring in. He was a speed-demon and a genius in the kitchen, and when paired with his brother, was an unstoppable force. Every dish he touched turned to gold like that of warm, Tuscan sunset. There were fan clubs dedicated to worshipping his skill and his handsome visage. He carried a cool exterior and a burning, passionate interior that would engulf everything in its wake if given the proper fuel.

That was the only sentiment Mimasaka Subaru had commented on during the match that Megumi would actually agree was correct.

He was a young chef who had built a pedestal in his own right and ruled on it comfortably. How could someone like Megumi, who let something as simple as fear get in the way of her true potential for so long, even begin to empathize with a prodigy like him?

And yet...there it was. The despair, the regret, the frustration, the anger all plastered into a permanent mold on Takumi's face. It was the same mold that had been Megumi's own face for three years. The one that she had covered up behind shy smiles and nervous shakes as she floundered at the bottom of the barrel.

Megumi now knew that no one was above those emotions. Everyone could have days exactly like she experienced, and everyone deserved the support it took to pull out of that dark place and have the courage to face themselves again.

While Soma was going about things in his own way, preparing to avenge the Aldini in his upcoming match with Mimasaka, she vowed to do whatever she could to try to support Takumi through his rough moment at the bottom of his own mind.

That very night, Megumi had set to work, first texting Takumi more of her own well wishes.

She had his number from previously inviting Isami and him to the Polar Star Preliminaries Party. She hadn't actively used it since, but it was worth a shot. She personal knew that an encouraging text message was sometimes the best way to help keep someone afloat. It didn't involve forced face-to-face interaction when a person couldn't bring themselves to speak, but it was also a tangible reminder the person was cared for.

Megumi had sent one right away on a spur of inspiration. Upon rereading the text message, she cringed at how formal and presumptuous it sounded. She was only trying to draw from what Soma had told her during her battle with Chef Shinomiya, but in hindsight, something Soma related probably wasn't the best way to go.

Takumi never did respond to the text, not even to thank her. She had expected as much, since he was probably receiving hundreds of texts as well from his other friends and fans.

'I'm an idiot!' she had thought nervously at the time. 'He must be so overwhelmed. I'm not helping at all!'

She had a small fit of worries over the text and was the up all night thinking of another approach until she fell asleep.

Over the next few days, she got her answer when Takumi didn't arrive for his classes.

She quietly asked Isami after one of their first cooking labs they had together, and he informed her that Takumi was still in bad spirits.

"He doesn't even come out of his room for dinner," Isami had said, his blue eyes worried and his trademark relaxed grin wiped from his face. "He can barely make eye contact with me. The teachers have been understanding as long as he's doing makeup labs and assignments, but I don't know how long that's going to last. People have been blowing up his phone, and he finally just turned it off. Plus, his fans keep sending us sweets to cheer him up, like it's Valentine's Day or something. I don't have enough space in the fridge. I don't even think Takumi can look at another dessert since that match."

"I see," Megumi said, guilt etched in her voice as she thought about her contributing text to the phone madness. She was also worried that Takumi may not be properly taking care of himself or his studies.

Isami was sure to bring him homework from the labs they had together, but she volunteered to get all the assignments from the one class she had with Takumi that his twin did not.

Isami had given her a grateful smile and thanked her, and this motivated her. She collected his lab work for his make-up assignments, and instead of giving it to Isami, she decided she would deliver it personally that night. After school, she ran straight home to the Polar Star dorm and was busy in the kitchen for hours working on her plan. Soma had taken to working secretly in outside kitchens those days to avoid Mimasaka's watchful gaze, so she had the majority of space to herself.

By 8:30 p.m., Megumi arrived at the Aldini's apartment with Takumi's assignment, but also with her arms stacked with various containers.

"Tadokoro-san, what's all this?" Isami had asked her. His tone was bewildered as apologizing for her visit when she barely able to balance all the small boxes in her grasp.

"I'm sorry it's so late!" Megumi explained as Isami had tried to relieve her of her gifts. "I wanted to come earlier, but it took longer than I thought. I hope you haven't had dinner yet."

"Is that what these are?" Isami asked, examining two metal lunch jars, similar to the kind Soma had used in his match against Nakiri Alice only a few days ago.

"Yes," Megumi answered, smiling brightly. "I was worried when you mentioned that Takumi might not be eating properly. I'm sure you both have had a lot to worry about, especially if you've been trying to keep him up with schoolwork as well. It's not sweets, but I thought it might make things easier on you two if you didn't have to worry about cooking."

She saw Isami investigate the contents of each drawer in the lunch jar, absolutely melting at the smell and flavor contained within the compartments. She beamed happily, grateful that she had chosen just the right recipes. They were all comfort food dishes her mother would make at home, either to warm them up on a cold night or to lift her spirits when she was feeling sad.

She'd been inspired by Soma's match and wanted to take advantage of something as simple as the joy of a bento box to brighten someone's day. She had converted the recipes so that they would take advantage of the warming effect of the container. Extra food had also been made and neatly labeled in microwave friendly containers, so the boys could have seconds or leftovers if they wanted. There was enough there to keep the brothers fed for at least another day or two.

"Tadokoro-san, thank you," Isami said, eyes wide with disbelief. "You really shouldn't have, this is much too kind of you."

The younger Aldini wasn't able to say much, but his gratitude was evident, and that was all Megumi needed.

"N-not at all!" Megumi responded, overjoyed that she might help a smile come back to at least one Aldini with her actions. "I hope you both like them. These are all recipes from my childhood, and they always managed to warm up and brighten my day when my mother made them for me, so I hope they'll help Takumi-kun as well. You can also keep the lunch jars for as long as you'd like to use them. The food should be easy enough to keep them in once it's been reheated. There's definitely no rush to return them!"

Isami looked floored at her sentiments. After helping her carry in the portions and setting them on the counter of the small apartment, he turned tentatively toward a closed bedroom door down the hall.

"We actually haven't had dinner yet," Isami said. "So please, why don't you at least join us? Let me get just get Takumi out here and we'll-"

"N-no, Isami-kun!" Megumi let out, stopping Isami as he was prepared to head down the hall. "I-I don't want Takumi-kun to have to see anyone before he's ready too. B-besides! I actually have Fumio-san waiting for me outside. She gave me a ride down here so that the food would stay hot, and I would hate to keep her longer than necessary. It's all right! Really!"

Isami just gave her another one of those looks as though he wasn't sure what else he could do to repay her.

"All right, Tadokoro-san," he said, conceding defeat, shaking his head to himself. "If you insist. Please, at least let me walk you back out to the car. I'll be sure to let Takumi know you stopped by. I'm sure he'll appreciate that you brought his assignment, and of course, all that food."

Megumi nodded happily, and as they walked out the front door she suddenly remembered the final gift she had for the Aldini in her jacket pocket.

"Oh! Isami-kun! Will you please make sure that Takumi-kun gets this with his bento?"

Megumi handed Isami a regular sized envelope with Takumi's name delicately written on the front.

"It's just a message for him about the food, and to let him know he's a wonderful chef," Megumi explained softly. "He put his heart and soul into a remarkable dish, no matter what the stakes were, he needs to know he should still be proud of that." She paused and laughed nervously. "I-I had tried to text him before, but after what you said, I thought a handwritten note might be better. It's much less noisy than a text, and it's just as easy to get rid of."

"I'll make sure he gets it," Isami said, his full smile finally returning. "Don't worry about that, Tadokoro-san."

Megumi bowed and thanked him again, then waved before running down the stairs to answer the honks of Polar Star's Madonna waiting for her in the dorm van.

The blue haired girl slept easier that night than she had in days, but when she arrived to class the next day and there was still no sign of the blonde, her spirit dimmed once more.

Megumi was distracted during most of her lectures and labs as she contemplated what else she could possibly do. She wanted to go to Soma about the situation, but he was so focused on the match, she didn't want to bother him unnecessarily when there were only two days left until the face off.

Thinking on the redhead, she decided to leave a lunch for him in his workspace, since he always had a track record of self-neglect when he was focused.

As she dropped off some food and a thermos of barley tea for Soma, she couldn't help but think this type of tea would go nicely with the food she had left for the Aldini brothers.

The curry challenge had gotten her interested in trying different spice mixes in the form of her favorite beverage. She decided to stop by Polar Star dorm to pick up a few bags of her tea blend for them before she brought over yet another make-up assignment for Takumi. She ended up bringing an additional variety of blends that might pair well with sweets, remembering all the confections from Takumi's fans that sat waiting in the Aldini's fridge.

This trip took significantly less time, and at around 6:00 p.m. she knocked on the Aldini's door with a smile on her face. An assignment and a copy of lecture notes awaited Takumi in one hand, and a bundle of tea samples that had been nicely wrapped in a large color square of tissue paper at in the other.

Isami answered the door again and beamed as he saw her.

"Tadokoro-san! Please, come in!"

She didn't even have to say what she was here for. He ushered her in with a warm welcome without a second thought. Megumi smiled as she caught a lingering scent of one of the soups she had sent with them from the kitchen. Isami must have just gotten done eating some more of her cooking, maybe even Takumi. This made her a little more optimistic.

When she explained to him about the tea samples she brought them, he insisted that she stay so he could try some with her in person. She agreed shyly, not wanting to be rude and decline the invitation a second time.

"Here! Do me a favor and have some of these sweets," Isami offered with a grin, pulling a box of gourmet looking pastries out of the refrigerator.

They looked good enough to have been bought from a professional bakery, but Megumi was certain that Takumi's fans had made them from scratch. It was also evident from the heart-shaped themes and decorations that adorned each confection.

"Oh no! I-I couldn't!" Megumi exclaimed, blushing embarrassingly at the thought of eating something that had been made with so much affection for someone else.

"Oh please, Tadokoro-san!" Isami said, bowing his head and clasping his hands comically in a begging fashion. "There is no possible way my bro and I can go through them alone. And Takumi is way too kind to just let them go to waste by tossing them out. You'd be helping us both out big time."

Megumi reluctantly agreed, and soon sat with the Aldini brother, awkwardly staring down at a heart-shaped eclaire as he served them one of her tea blends that would best go with the pastries.

"I-Isami-kun," Megumi asked timidly, moving her eyes towards the bedroom door down the hallway that still remained firmly closed. "Was-um, I mean-d-did Takumi-kun-"

She paused, unsure how to phrase her words. She knew both brothers must still having a hard time, as was evident from Takumi's continued absence. It was probably exhausting to be questioned about his well being day after day by everyone. She didn't want to pry.

"Yes, Tadokoro-san," Isami said, answering her stuttered words with a reassuring smile. "He got them both. He still hasn't really said much, but I'm sure he really loved them! He ended up eating the entire bento that night. And I could tell he was digging into the extras you gave us when I got back from school today, so I'm sure he's grateful! Even if he's been pretty quiet."

"That's good," Megumi said, trying to return his smile, but she was still obviously worried.

"Why don't you take him some of this tea for me?" Isami said suddenly.

"W-what? Me? But-I'm sure he-he doesn't want to be bothered! I mean, I couldn't!" Megumi sputtered, terrified of the thought of knocking on Takumi's door so intrusively.

"Please?"Isami asked her again, with a smile and a bow similar to when he'd offered her the pastries. "I actually have to finish sometime up in the kitchen, and I'd like him to have some while it's fresh. I'm sure he'd appreciate it."

Isami knew his brother best, so Megumi timidly agreed to his additional request. She fumbled together and made a fresh cup while Isami looked suspiciously busy in the kitchen, even though he had time to sit with her just minutes before.

"Isami-kun," Megumi asked, pausing just near the hallway. "Has...anyone else come by to check on Takumi?"

Isami paused his activities and sighed.

"One of the teachers did," he said. "But that was more school related. His fans keep leaving stuff on our doorstep, and I make sure to keep them away from house calls. I don't want him to have to deal with that. If we're talking about our mutual friends though, no. You've been the only one. I think everyone is just...trying to give him his space after how he acted when he walked out. No one knows what to say. I don't blame them."

"I see," Megumi said, taking in a deep breath and making a decision.

This is what had led her here, after days of effort, with her hand shakily poised to knock on Takumi's door with his brother's blessing.

 _'Maybe, it's finally time someone tries to talk to him,'_ Megumi thought, building up all the bravery she could to alert Takumi to her presence. _'Maybe, he needs someone else's voice to bring him out of the dark. I don't think what I have to say will be special at all...I probably don't even know what I'm talking about. But I could at least try. That has to be better than nothing! Nothing but sitting in the silence of your own sadness. I did that, for so long, before Soma broke through to me. It's awful, it's horrible. I-I don't want him to stay there any longer than he has too.'_

Memories of all those emotions, of the quiet pain she'd seen on the Aldini's face that day, came back. Her eyes pricked and her throat got tight as she finally knocked.

"T-Takumi-kun?" Megumi said, quietly at first, only knocking twice. "I'm sorry to bother you. I-I came over with one of your assignments and-um-I-I-brought some tea. If you'd like some, I-I have some for you. Isami was busy and told me to let you know. I'm so sorry to bother you."

There was no response at first. Megumi's mind reeled with anxiety, hoping he wasn't trying to rest and she had completely just disrupted that. After a few seconds, however, she heard slight footsteps from behind the door, even if no voice accompanied them. She breathed a sigh of relief and shakily continued.

"Takumi-kun, I-I'm sure a lot of people have been trying to tell you all kinds of things about the match lately," Megumi said, her voice shaking just as delicately as the china saucer and cup in her hand. "They might be telling you how sorry they are or not to feel like you let anyone down, or that you shouldn't feel like any less of a chef or a person because you lost." Megumi let out a deep breath, trying to strengthen her voice. "B-but, I just want to make sure you know, that if you DO feel those things, that's okay. Because, everyone has moments like that, but that isn't where they're meant to stay. Especially someone like you."

There was still silence and Megumi was still nervous, but something inside told her to keep talking. Somehow, she felt like Takumi might be listening. A small, sad smile formed on her lips.

"I lost too," she admitted, confessing the obvious. "I've let down so people for so long, and I never thought I would ever be more than a failure. I did my best to make it up to this point, when I probably shouldn't have been chosen for the Autumn Selection at all. I struggled and fought to pull myself up and to perfect my cooking. I fought to do right by the people that were always there to save me. And as hard as I fought, I still failed."

Her match against Kurokiba played back to her, and for some reason, this made her more upset. Not because she had lost, but because her opponent had at least defeated her with honor. Ruthless and terrifying honor, but it was honor none the less. Someone like her had at least gotten to walk away with their dignity, but not Takumi. Why? Why not him? When he deserved that even more?

"I've been in that dark, sad place you might be in Takumi-kun," Megumi finally said.

She was so afraid that she might sound presumptuous, but she carried on anyway. It was important that he knew the truth.

"That dark seems like the only place you have to feel safe, because as long as you're down there, you can't disappoint anyone," she said, her voice breaking a little. "And as angry as you are at yourself, nothing is more painful than trying to face the people you love after you've failed them. Staying in that dark, it's the only way you feel like you can survive."

She had learned this after almost getting expelled countless times, making three years worth of her mother slaving away to afford her Totsuki tuition meaningless. She had learned this after almost costing Soma his future, simply because she hadn't been quick enough to follow a recipe.

"And because I know what it's like," she said, finally getting to her point as tears started to spill softly down her cheeks. "I want you to know it's okay if you need to stay there for awhile. Because those people you love are waiting just outside, and they're fighting for you until you're ready and have the courage to fight for yourself again."

Megumi was finally able to smile to herself, even through her soft tears. She already knew why Takumi couldn't say anything yet, but that was just fine. Sometimes, it was just nice to listen to someone else. Even someone like her, even if it was all just nonsense.

"I'm sorry for taking up some of your time Takumi-kun, but thank you for listening," she said with her renewed smile, letting one of her hands rest lightly on the door. "Stay safe for as long as you need, but please, don't stay too long. If someone like me can manage to be all right, after failing for so long, I can only imagine what someone like you can accomplish. It would be a shame to have to wait to see all of your victories after this."

In an odd gesture, she bowed to the bedroom door, as if it were Takumi in person. She couldn't help but laugh at herself, acknowledging how her habits had reared in strange ways.

"I'll leave the tea on the hall table for you, if you'd like some," she said, setting the china on a small stand near the door. "Please have a good night, Takumi-kun, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the food."

And with that, Megumi turned around. Tears were still evident on her face, but there was lightness in her heart. She stopped in the hallway when she saw Aldini Isami, standing a couple feet behind her, staring at her wide-eyed.

Megumi didn't want to look too closely at him, but she thought she could see water threatening to overpower his own blue eyes.

"Tadokoro-san," Isami said, his own voice a bit broken like hers had been. "I-"

"It's okay, Isami-kun," Megumi said, offering Isami same the exit to confrontation she knew his brother had needed. "I think I'm going to head back to the dorm to see if Soma-kun needs anything before the match tomorrow. He'll need everyone's courage and support, especially since we're fighting for Takumi."

She smiled again, bowed respectfully to the younger twin, and let herself out of the apartment in order to let the Aldini brothers have their much-needed peace.

 _"Maybe I'll ask Soma to drop by if he has time before the Shokugeki tomorrow morning,"_ Megumi thought to herself, still slightly disappointed that her words to the Aldini may have been insignificant in the grand scheme. _"If Takumi-kun would be responsive to anyone, it would be him."_

 **Hand **

_"Megumi..."_

Her name went through Takumi's mind as he just stood there. On the other side of a door in a dark room, he stood there unsure of what to say as the blue-haired girl poured her heart without reason.

His hand stayed poised just above the door handle, but he remained frozen, unable to find the inertia to follow through and open it to confront her.

Why? Why had she even done all this? Why did she keep coming back?

Takumi was an emotional being, and so behind his silence, millions of potential responses and reactions had filtered through his mind. Plenty of them came during Tadokoro-san's attempts to reach him throughout the week.

When she had texted him, along with every other person that was trying to verify he was still alive after the shock of such a defeat:

 _"I don't want to talk..."_

 _"I don't deserve kind words..."_

 _"I don't know what to say..."_

 _"I can't say anything-I can't-"_

 _"Leave me alone! Everyone! Just leave me the hell alone!"_

When she had taken the time to bring him school work and thoughtfully crafted food...When she had helped, not only him, but Isami as well...who was dealing with his failure, older brother becoming a catatonic wreck:

 _"We're not in mourning. What is all of this? Pity?"_

 _"I don't need anything...I can take care of myself!"_

 _"I can't stand looking at another chef's food..."_

 _"I can't...I just can't eat...I just don't care..."_

 _"What's the point of homework...of school...why did I even come here in the first place? My career is over..."_

 _"Isami is begging me...I can't worry him even more..."_

" _A bento? Like Yukihira's? Is this? Wait-"_

 _"What is this taste...the smell...it reminds me of-"_

 _"This warm feeling...I don't want it...But I-I-can't stop eating..."_

 _"I hate this-It makes me miss home-I-I want to go home..."_

 _"I can't-I-can't go home...I'm a failure-I can't go home...not yet..."_

When he had first read the hand-written note that had been delivered with that first meal...When he had reread it...again and again...after crumpling it up in frustration the first time:

 _"What-Tadokoro-san?"_

 _"Not again...not all this again...stop-everyone just stop!"_

 _"I'm not a chef-I'm not anything-without my pride-our pride, I'm nothing!"_

 _"Who the hell does she think she is? She doesn't even know me!"_

 _"They don't know anything...no one does..."_

 _"It was because of that dish-I gave it everything-everything I had! And it was still nothing..."_

 _"No more pity-no more-Per Favore!"_

 _"It's not the dish-it's family-family is all that matters..."_

 _"How can I face them again?"_

 _"Why...Tadokoro-san?"_

And now when she was at his door...when she still had much more to say...more than she had tried to tell him through her notes and her food and her care...when she still tried to tell him more:

 _"Go away..."_

 _"I don't want to hear it...no more apologies..."_

 _"Don't you get it? I deserve it! If I can't defend them, I deserve to-"_

 _"No-no you don't understand! Stop it! Stop trying! Per l'amore di Dio! Why won't you stop?"_

 _"You don't understand-I've always been able to win-as long as I've had-"_

 _"But-I'm not supposed to-I'm supposed to fail..."_

 _"I'm not like you-I have to look out for him..."_

 _"I-can't stay here forever..."_

 _"No one has told me-no one else said-Tadokoro-san?"_

 _"Are you-No-no, please don't, don't cry!"_

 _"I'm so pathetic...why can't I say anything..."_

 _"I know...I know I need courage...I just..."_

 _"Tadokoro-san?...No...wait..."_

 _"Damn it..."_

One hand was on the handle. His forehead was braced against the door frame. His mind was a storm. He couldn't pick one thing to say. He wanted to put her in her place for daring to talk down to him and crumple near her feet in relief and gratitude, all at the same time.

But then she left. His twin was outside the door, just as much of an emotional storm as he was at the bluenette's words. He always knew what Isami was feeling, always. That's what made this all so hard.

He leaned on the door until he was sure Tadokoro Megumi was completely gone.

Finally turning the handle, he was met with the blue eyes of his fraternal twin, the only thing that made them identical on the outside.

"Isami...Brother..." Takumi tried to say, but he struggled. His voice was a croak.

When was the last time he had even used it?

"It's okay, bro..." Isami said, cutting his twin off like he usually did. Offering him that smile and that look that knew him better than anyone else in the world.

Takumi felt his hand ball up into a fist as he stared in frustration at the floor.

 _"I should have thanked her..."_

* * *

 _ **A/N-**_

 _ **I know, I know...this was a bit dramatic. I just see Megumi's super power being empathy, so I probably channeled that a bit too much. Did you still like it? This one broke my heart, and I WROTE IT!**_

 _ **You all spoke so far and you recieved! Another chapter and one that is hecka long! This one just kind of turned its own one shot...sorry about that! I DID say length would vary...**_

 _ **Thank you to everyone that has suggested prompts! If your prompt hasn't shown up in this chapter yet, I'm probably still working on it! I will do more of a collection of short ones for everyone during the next chapter...most likely. Thank you to A Cinnamon Roll Writer and the Guest that gave me the prompts for this chapter.**_

 _ **More ideas and thoughts, shoot them my way! Thank you to all of my follows and favorites so far. I hope this chapter is a good follow up to your expectations. :)**_

 _ **Till We Dream Again,**_

 _ **-Tasia**_


	3. Afraid-Graduation-Midnight

**DRABBLES INCLUDED:**

AFRAID

GRADUATION

MIDNIGHT

* * *

 ** _Shout outs:_** _Thank you_ _ **A Cinnamon Roll Writer**_ _(Author of SnS stories "My Dearly Beloved", "Status: It's kinda complicated", "Cherry Hunt: Aschente!") for always being a great help and giving a shout out to this story in their own works!_

 _Thank you to_ _ **Madeline Axelle**_ _(Author of TakuxMegu story "Symphonies of Dawn") who wrote the fic that sent me down the rabbit hole with this couple in the first place. I am literally over the moon she has favorited this story._

* * *

 **AFRAID**

The day he finally came to the realization, Takumi was afraid. He was more terrified than he ever thought would be possible over something like this.

What fueled his fear now was the image he saw of Yukihira and Tadokoro-san together, just on the other side of Marui-san's room during another status quo Polar Star party.

Tadokoro Megumi, in all her delicate grace, sat next to the redhead and beamed as he thrilled her with some ridiculously animated tale. She always appeared the most content when standing next to Yukihira Soma, as if that was how nature intended her to exist. Her golden eyes shone as she stared, and they radiated a light greater than the sun upon his rival.

From the day Takumi had first acknowledged her, that particular look had been frequently present on the bluenette's face. Always directed at Yukihira. Only for Yukihira.

The red-headed idiot in question, however, laughed and chatted heartily as he always did. Lost in his own world. His eyes remained closed.

What had always motivated Takumi to challenge Yukihira in the first place was their blatant similarity, ambition and skill level. They were always placed neck and neck in the imaginary race running within the Italian boy's mind, and it infuriated him enough to try to keep pace.

This time, with the new awareness of the gravitational pull that hurled him around the girl with the sunshine smile, Takumi knew he was now miles ahead of Yukihira.

Wasn't it cruel, that for once, that fact didn't even matter?

The only thing saving him at the moment was Yukihira's blind oblivion to the blessing right in front of him. Always just within his reach.

Takumi was afraid of the day, should it ever come, that Yukihira Soma actually decided to open his eyes.

 **GRADUATION**

They hadn't seen each other since graduation.

They were both still relatively young, but it hadn't taken much for the Totsuki 92nd Jewel Generation to quickly gain connections and funding opportunities in the culinary world.

In five years, Megumi Tadokoro was currently hired as the primary hospitality consultant for the operations of the Totsuki Resort. She innovated ways to improve the guest facilities of the resort, and her insight had been so successful the Board of Directors had started implementing them in their various chains.

Simultaneously, Megumi was completing a Bachelor's degree in Business, sponsored by the corporation. The goal was to groom her to eventually oversee her own international chain of trendy pod hotels/cafes as an addition to the Totsuki group. Megumi always had the knack for making people feel at home wherever they were. She had traveled enough to know the need for affordable, yet friendly, places to stay when in a foreign city. The concept of capsule hotels, something originated in Japan's hospitality industry, applied perfectly and could be turned into a destination experience by using unique design concepts. Megumi's life philosophies would be put into these cozy inns that were geared to attract the adventurous millennial traveler. Development for the first test location to open in Tokyo was her graduating project, an aquarium-themed capsule hotel inspired by her love for the sea and her home, and Totsuki was eager to fund as this hotel trend was growing internationally.

Takumi Aldini had easily helped to forge the path for his family restaurant to become a staple of Italian cuisine at its finest within Florence. He and his twin were currently working on expanding the family brand into more international locations. Surprisingly, the great Mizuhara Fuyumi had become one of his greatest partners in the project, even though he had turned her down to focus on his family's original restaurant countless times.

His natural good looks had marked him for another destiny in the meantime, as he was being streamed into thousands of living rooms with the release of his own Netflix cooking series. It focused on Takumi visiting locally owned restaurants around the world, giving publicity to their specialties and finding ways to improve them from the inside. His heart had always been soft for the narrative of family businesses striving for success, so most of the places he selected carried that story. His fan club was no longer restricted by the geography of the Totsuki school grounds, and he boasted an impressive online following on Twitter and Instagram.

Yes, both of the former Elite Ten members were doing quite well for themselves, so the fear of success wasn't the cause of the awkward tension as they stood in the hallway of the Totsuki Resort lobby.

"Tadokoro-san..." the handsome young blonde breathed in surprise, the name seeming ancient on his tongue as he took off a designer pair of Versace sunglasses to view her.

"Come on, Takumi-kun," The bluenette responded, gifting him with her radiant smile that brimmed with more confidence than Takumi had ever seen from her in high school. "We don't need to go back to that. You promised you would call me "Megumi," remember?"

Oh yes, he most certainly remembered. Even after all these years, they both did.

"Old habits I suppose," Takumi said, shrugging while giving her a charming smile. "All right then, Megumi-san. Forgive me, but you look beautiful. Though that remains a constant, no matter how much time passes."

A familiar blush grazed her cheeks, and for just a moment, the Aldini soared.

"I should have figured something like that would come from you," Megumi said, adding her own light laugh that was almost as charming as the young celebrity before her. "But thank you, Takumi-kun. You look great too. Though, would Kawashima-san appreciate you flirting so shamelessly?"

"Oh, um," Takumi cringed awkwardly at the mention of his ex-girlfriend, Urara Kawashima. "We've actually been separated since before the new season started streaming. I'm surprised you didn't know. It trended on social media for at least a full day."

Megumi's face was suddenly struck with an anxious look over joking about something potentially sensitive.

"Oh! I-I'm sorry Takumi-kun," Megumi stuttered out, and Takumi couldn't help but smile at the girl's own habits not entirely fading. "I've been so busy with classes, the location designs and with my work with Totsuki, I barely check my social media anymore. I only keep up with my Instagram account. I'm really sorry!"

Takumi smiled and sighed, waving off her concern with an expressive hand motion.

"Don't worry about it," he said. "To be honest, it was probably for the best. Urara-san and I had...our differences. I'm sure she's doing much better right now, and I have the show to focus on, so it's not something I can let bother me much."

"Better" was an understatement, or at least something Takumi could only hope would apply to his ex in time.

In truth, Urara had been set up to be his co-star for the show in the beginning. Yua Sasaki, Urara's best friend and former Totsuki Emcee, had found herself thriving behind the scenes of television production instead of facing the stage fright she had in high school. Takumi and Urara had started dating beforehand, but when he appeared on her popular foodie vlog a handful of times, the reaction was incredible and her fans were begging to see more of him. Yua pulled some strings and got him an audience with the producers for the developing show that had already cast Urara from the idol agency she had been with. They didn't need much convincing of his natural talent. Urara and him had great chemistry, he was working professionally in the show's genre, Yua was excellent at production and editing, and they even pulled Mimasaka Subaru into the project to do consulting on how to help tweak the specials of each restaurant they visited.

It was all going great...until Urara had snapped and quit production in the middle of the first season. It was allegedly due to how much more attention Takumi was getting online and in person after the pilot aired.

 _"F*** this! This was my project! These are my loyal fans! You think you can just bat your damn blue eyes and seduce everyone over the web I've spent years dominating? No way in hell! No one is worshipped more than Urara Kawashima! Urara-chan is their idol! Urara-chan is the definition of idol! Urara-chan is their god! You were nothing without me, so you all better get used to going back to that! We're over Takumi! Urara-chan, f******* signing off!"_

These were the last words Urara had shrieked before storming off the set of their Kyoto episode. After spending three weeks cataloging herself partying to death on all of her social media channels, it was reported that she had finally checked into an upscale rehabilitation resort. Her agency had forced her, after she had been arrested for starting several fist fights in a karaoke bar when she had refused to give up the microphone.

Hopefully, some time, detoxing and a few therapy sessions would help.

"What about you, Megumi-san?" Takumi asked smoothly, dying to change the subject. "Any recent changes in your own life?"

Takumi was curious to know if she had been seeing someone. She was usually so private and conservative about that sort of thing, there was no way he would have been able to know without hearing from her directly. Still, he was afraid to push.

Megumi bit her lip nervously. She, indeed, had begun picking up a very out of character habit in her life, but it was definitely not one she could let Takumi know about. Not when she had been uncertain herself as things unfolded.

"Nothing more than usual," Megumi finally gave him, adding another warm smile. "This will be different for me though, finally being invited back to mentor with everyone."

The thought of her own previous experiences at the resort made her shake her head. Thoughtfully, she toyed with one of the loose strands of navy locks that fell past her shoulder blades.

"I'm sure it was overdue for many of us," Takumi commented, eyeing the way her hair waved maturely in the style she chose for it now. "We've all achieved much since we were freshmen. It's odd to think how full circle things have come, especially in the place we first met."

In the ghost of his memory, a young girl with blue braids had stood in that very lobby years ago, ready to keel over from the pressure. Not that he had noticed her enough at the time. He'd been too consumed with destroying the redhead she usually followed, uncaring about the fact that she could have been removed the academy before she had even been a thought in his mind.

"And here we meet again," Megumi said, looking through Takumi in that way no one else could, looking for all of his truth and intentions. "I guess you can't escape some things, no matter how far you get from them."

Their eyes met together intensely for a short moment, aquamarine and gold burning each other as they relived the past.

It had been almost five years since they had come face to face again. Five years since they left each other in tears at their third-year graduation.

When Megumi had decided that she needed to put herself first, for once in her life, and not let an opportunity slip by.

When Takumi's pride had ruled him as she did the one thing he had always begged her to never push him to.

Their stares broke at the sound of a cell phone ringing a cheerful pop tune and vibrating enthusiastically.

"Oh!" Megumi realized, taking out her phone and looking at the caller ID. "I'm sorry, Takumi-kun. That's Dojima-senpai. He might be looking for me to go over some final details before the buses arrive. I should probably hurry and check in." She grabbed the handle of her floral patterned luggage and quickly turned, stopping only to bow daintily to the Aldini. "It's good to see you again. Good luck this week."

"Yeah, you too, Megumi-san," Takumi said, waving with one hand as the bluenette scurried off with a purpose in her life.

If Megumi was being honest with herself, she was all too grateful to be distracted from their reunion and immersed back into the world of hospitality she had chosen for herself.

Takumi could pick up on that desperation and ran a hand through his hair, replacing the designer sunglasses that had lazily kept his identity hidden from any fans that might recognize him.

It was going to be a painfully long week at the Totsuki Friendship and Rapport Training Camp for both of them.

 **MIDNIGHT**

This wasn't the first time they had kissed.

Megumi had Yuki's antics at the Polar Star Second Year kick-off party to thank for that. There was also the time after, when he had properly confessed to her in a show of romantic grandeur she was too shocked to refuse. The way he kissed her had been only how romance movies and anime feature as possible, ambushing her with more emotion than she had been ready to accept. Emotion that he said he couldn't fight any longer.

He was such a gentleman. He had given her space, given her time...he would have given her the world somehow if she had the audacity to ask for it.

Under the pressure, she had pushed everything into the background in order to focus on a list of Shokugeki that had threatened the newly acquired seat she had fought for on the Elite Ten Council. People identified her as the weakest link, and she had worked herself into exhaustion accepting challenges in order to show them how wrong they were.

She was up late, preparing for a match in one of the on-campus kitchens she had access to with her new position. She had needed some air after a particular challenge was racking her brain. It was almost midnight now, and a walk through the dark, vast campus led her to sit at her favorite fountain at its center.

"I thought I'd find you here, Tadokoro-san."

After a few quiet minutes, Megumi gazed up to the ethereal view of Aldini Takumi standing in front of her. His golden hair was lit by the moonlight as he looked at her.

"T-Takumi-kun? W-What are you-"

"Would I be allowed to join you?"

Megumi was startled at his question and had only nodded as Takumi rested next to her, revealing a large thermos he carried in his hand.

"Takumi-kun, why are you here so late?" Megumi inquired, nervously fidgeting with her hands in her lap.

The Aldini looked down sheepishly and handed her the thermos.

"Would it be odd to say it was to bring you some tea?" Takumi said, giving her that genuine smile. "I know that's usually your gesture, but I'm sure you'd appreciate it too every once in awhile. Especially when you've been overworking yourself lately to almost Yukihira levels."

"Thank you," She said softly, deciding to drink some immediately. As she unscrewed the thermos and took a sip, the aroma and warming sense swept her away. The taste, the blend...it was so familiar...

"I hope you like it," Takumi said, leaning forward casually. "I'm better at making espresso, but I know this is probably closer to your taste. This is also my favorite kind, since you brought it over to Isami and me forever ago."

Megumi could barely speak. She didn't think that the tea blends she had given the brother's back then had even made an impact.

"Takumi-kun...you-you didn't have to," she tried to fight out. "Your seat is higher than mine, you should be getting your own rest. You shouldn't..."

 _'You shouldn't bother with me...'_

That's what she wanted to say.

Takumi had always shone her such consistent consideration, even before he had confessed. All that energy, no matter how close of friends they were, should be spent somewhere else. On some other girl that could return it immediately and rightfully deserved it.

How, even now, when she had kept him on a knife's edge without a word for weeks, could he still show her so much care?

She could feel a tightness in her chest. A familiar panic started to creep up as her hands shook, despite how tightly she clasped them around his warm offering.

"Hey, hey," Takumi said softly, turning to her with that melting concern in his blue eyes as he noticed her inner distress. "Tadokoro-san, it's okay. I was up working in the council room too if that helps. You know how those upper seats throw us with all the trivial paperwork."

His excuses to soften the impact of the gesture still didn't calm Megumi down, and she heard him sigh lowly. He ran a hand through his hair and angled himself more toward her, now closer than before.

Takumi reached out carefully toward the thermos that she gripped. She thought he was going to take it back, but he slowly wrapped his hands around her own, warming her trembling fingers even more.

His movements were soft, as if approaching a skittish animal, and he continued to look to her for any sign of resistance. Megumi couldn't move an inch, she could only stare and allow him to hold her in his presence.

" _Ti voglio bene,_ Megumi," Takumi said, his voice sincere like a dream as he spoke in his first language.

Megumi melted as Takumi said her first name, a privilege he didn't often allow himself out of respect. He had started to call her that recently, every so often when they were together. However, during this awkward period after his confession, he had stopped completely.

She hadn't even realized she had missed it so much.

"Takumi-kun-" Megumi breathed out, her mind and heart racing at the possible meaning of the foreign words. "W-what-what-did-you-"

"What it means, Tadokoro-san," Takumi answered with a sad smile, trying to quell her fears. "Is that I don't want you to worry. ' _Ti_ _voglio bene'_ is what you say to someone that you wish nothing but happiness and wellness for. You care so much, Tadokoro-san, for everyone else. In return, I hope you know I will always want what is best for you. No matter what choice you make as an Elite Council Member, about your future beyond Totsuki, about the people in your life...even including me...Please know that is a sentiment that will never change."

Megumi's entire body shook. She swore she was close to tears, though she wasn't sure if they were despair or relief. She couldn't identify any of her emotions, just that she felt a flood coming on that she had been trying to hold back for her own sanity for weeks.

Why? Why did he keep coming back? How did she deserve it...any of it?

She wasn't sure of much, but for some reason, at hearing his words, Megumi decided to act on impulse and prayed that the aftermath wouldn't implode the both of them.

Her grip on the thermos disappeared as it crashed to the floor and spilled the rest of Takumi's gift onto the concrete by the fountain. The Aldini clasped her hands tighter and raised his eyebrows in confusion.

"Tadoko-" Takumi tried to question, but Megumi cut him off as she leaned forward and closed her eyes.

This wasn't the first time they had kissed.

But here, at midnight, as she held onto his hands like a lifeline...

As she gave in to the siren call of the moonbeams that decorated his perfect face and lit up the running water of her sanctuary...

As she let his words fill her mind, praying they would always be true, and letting them drown out all conflicting doubt she had...

Megumi decided this would be the time, that she would kiss him first.

* * *

 _A/N-_

 _Hello there! Geez, wasn't I the person that said these drabbles were going to be shorter snippets? My goal is to get to all of the suggestions I've gotten so far in time. I just kind of write as they come to me. I hope you all like these! They jump around a bit in time, but I think these are going to connect more than I originally intended them._

 _Think of this story as a jigsaw puzzle, putting random pieces of the big picture together one at a time until you can see all of it. ;)_

 _Thanks to A Cinnamon Roll Writer and my anonymous guest again for the prompts. Keep them coming!_

 _Please leave reviews! I'm hungry for feedback and they are the primary way I know his story is getting some traffic. Tell me a suggestion of what you think Megumi's hotel should be called, or Takumi's Netflix series. I'll probably end up using the best ones. ;)_

 _Till We Dream Again,_

 _-Tasia_


	4. Home-Run

**DRABBLES INCLUDED:**

HOME

RUN

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_

 _Warning: This chapter includes several Italian words, that are at times, spoken by an adorable, young, blonde Tuscan boy. For your convenience, here are some of the simpler terms used to avoid making you go to Google translate throughout this entire chapter._

* * *

* _ **Babbo**_ **:** An Italian variation of "Dad" that is primarily used in the region of Tuscany.

* _ **Zio/Zia**_ **:** Italian for "uncle" / "aunt."

* _ **Amore Mio**_ **:** "My love"

* _ **panna cotta:**_ An Italian specialty dessert that is literally "cooked cream." It can be made with various flavors and garnishes.

* _ **Bolognese:**_ An Italian dog breed that is meticulously long-haired, white and fluffy.

* _ **pasticcere**_ : A pâtissier or pastry chef.

 ***** _ **mimmo**_ **:** Tuscan short version of "bambino," meaning "baby" and typically used as a pet name for children.

* _ **luce dei miei occhi:**_ "Light of my eyes"

* _ **nuora**_ _:_ Italian for "daughter-in-law."

* _ **Ma Smettila:**_ "Stop it"

* * *

 _To any of my readers that hail from Italy or speakers of its language! Please feel free to critique my usage of Italian and let me know how to improve! I'd like to use more as this story progresses._

 _SOME SHOUT OUTS AND UPDATES WILL BE IN THE ENDING AUTHOR'S NOTE!_

* * *

 **HOME**

" _Babbo_ , why did you decide to leave Japan?"

It was a childish question that young Takumi had asked when his age wasn't quite in the double digits and his wide eyes marveled at picture books of his father's exotic homeland.

Early on, Takumi had been taught that Italy was best in all things, but his impressionable mind couldn't help finding Japan a close second.

The misty forests and high mountains. The ethereal shrines with bright red gates and grand temples. The colorful neon streets and clothes in the cities. The legends of warriors, gods, and dragons that littered its history and the burning sun rising on its flag.

Not to mention the amazing food that his father would make them at least once a week for dinner.

It was just so...cool!

Takumi's father looked over at him as he asked this question, eyes raising from the soup he was preparing for the Sunday lunch they were holding at the house.

Most Italian families would go out to eat on late Sunday afternoons as a way to maximize on familial time during the week, but Takumi's family was always working during this ritual. His _Zio_ Aldini would try to pick one Sunday a month to close the _trattoria,_ just so their own family could hold a get together at their homes for close friends. This month was their turn, so Takumi had been spending the morning with his _Babbo_ in the kitchen preparing.

The head chef of _Trattoria Aldini_ was tall, dark-haired and peacefully quiet. Very much like the blonde boy's younger fraternal twin. He was very serious about the workings of the Aldini restaurant, and only rose his voice at moments things were amiss there.

Most of the time, he chose to express himself through his food instead of his words, and he retained the kind of focus while cooking that Takumi always tried to imitate. This stoic trait also may have helped the balance in the Aldini house, since Takumi's mother talked enough for their entire family.

"Why do you ask that, son?" his father finally responded, speaking in full Japanese.

 _Babbo_ always insisted Isami and he should know more than one language. It was probably because of the man's own struggle to speak Italian when he had first come to stay in Florence. Takumi was expected to reply back in Japanese in order to practice at home, but this was fine; since he'd been doing that since he was small. Well...smaller...

"Wasn't it hard to leave?" Takumi asked again in the respective language, propping himself up on a bar stool near the counter in order to watch his father work. "It must have been. I don't know what I would do if Isami and I had to leave home."

Of course, Isami would be with him. They were always together. They were like the _mezzaluna_ _Zio_ Aldini had promised to teach them to use when they were just a little bit older. Two halves of a moon...or something like that. He still didn't understand it all when _Zio_ tried to explain it to him, he just knew it was important.

"Don't you think it's better to discover new places and things in order to become a better chef?" his father replied casually, swiftly adding more green onions to the simmering pot in front of them.

The scent of miso broth filled the air, and the boy smiled warmly at one of his favorite smells that always signaled a good time to come. The family friends had been requesting authentic Japanese food for months, so his father decided to give in.

"Well yeah," Takumi said eagerly, eyeing the way his father switched between ingredients and began preparing vegetables on the cutting board to be fried into tempura. "I want to go to all kinds of places. That's how I'll learn to make our food even better!"

 _Babbo_ was excellent at cooking for their _trattoria_ , but Takumi was especially proud of the fact his father was also an expert in cooking things not everyone in Italy could. It made him want to become a master one day, of both Italian and Japanese food.

"It's just, you always taught me and Isami that family and home was more important than anything," Takumi continued, getting lost in more delicious smells of cooking oil and freshly chopped ingredients. "If Japan was your home and your family is there, why did you stay in Italy? Why not just come and visit all the time, but then go back?"

His father didn't answer him right away, only staring at him thoughtfully as he shifted the oil in the pan he was holding. Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by the vibrant sound of melodic humming and the clanking of various items moving in the pantry room down the hall.

Takumi knew this was usually the sound of his _Mamma_ preparing to claim her own space in the kitchen.

" _Amore Mio_!" Takumi's mother called frantically to his father from the pantry in Italian. "Did you forget to bring the extra bottle of _limoncello_ back home from the restaurant? I can't find it! If I can't find it, I can't finish the sauce for my _panna cotta_! Then _Zia_ Claudia is going to sigh about it every minute of every course! Then I'll finally decide to tell her she doesn't need the dessert and should have started cutting back five years ago! Then her husband will start laughing and she'll get mad and that ugly _Bolognese_ of hers will start barking and the meal will be ruined! All because she couldn't be quiet about wanting my specific _limoncello panna cotta_! All because I can't find the _limo_ -Oh! _Grazie_ , _Amore_! _Grazie_!"

During his mother's animated monologue, Takumi's father had quietly turned down the burners and picked up a full bottle of _limoncello_ liquor off the shelf in front of the pantry door. He then waited for his wife to come out and finally notice it resting in his hand.

A beautiful woman, with long, silky blonde hair pulled into a high ponytail, stepped out of the pantry. She stopped mid-rant to begin peppering Takumi's father with light, appreciative kisses as she plucked the bottle from his hand. The Japanese man only rolled his eyes and gave a faint smirk of amusement as the Italian woman trotted over to an empty section of the counter, setting up her own ingredients.

 _Mamma_ was making one of her specialty desserts by another request of their guests. Even if the rest of the meal was themed Japanese, nothing would stop her from serving one of her favorite Italian creations, and it certainly wouldn't stop people from asking for them. She wasn't very good at making Japanese sweets yet anyway, and _Babbo_ liked to lightly tease her the more frustrated she got when the foreign dishes she tried didn't come out exactly right.

Still, _Mamma_ was an amazing _pasticcere_. She made all of the desserts they would serve in the _trattoria_. They were so popular in the area, that any espresso ordered without one of her pastries to accompany it, was considered blasphemy.

She was the life of their family, that Takumi had come to realize very early on. Patrons always said he took after her. Her beauty, her cerulean eyes, and her natural flare were all traits of hers the blonde boy had grown into. She brought energy into the room and put smiles on the faces of those around her, whether it was from her dramatic, charismatic conversation or the bliss of her sweets.

She was usually the only one that could break _Babbo's_ solemn nature, causing him to make subtle jokes when she may have been acting too confident. Probably too similar to the way Isami liked to crack jokes at him when they would play with their friends...

"Your _Babbo_ thinks he's so serious, _mimmo_!" _Mamma_ would tell him whenever she pouted about his father's teasing. "But he knows better than anyone that **I'm** the one to keep him smiling, even with those jokes of his! A good woman will do whatever she can to make her _Amore_ happy, no matter the cost." She would always wink and pinch his cheeks whenever she told him this, always ruffling the golden colored locks he shared with her. "We'll find you one too one day. _Si, luce dei miei occhi?_ Only the best woman out there!"

Takumi was still too young at the time to take his mother seriously when she would tell him these things. He didn't have time for girls, he was too busy learning how to be a master chef! Girls were so weird. They would giggle and flutter their eyes, and his female classmates at school would fight whenever he would actually talk to one of them. He didn't want to be mean, but he tried his best not to bother with them. He really missed his friend, Bianca, who moved to Rome last year. She was at least normal around him and Isami.

After a moment of watching his mother hum while looking inside their massive fridge to inspect the consistency of her _panna cotta_ creams, Takumi's father finally answered him, again in Japanese.

"I stayed in Italy, Takumi, because this is the place that truly felt like home."

"Didn't _obaasan_ and _ojiisan_ miss you?" Takumi asked honestly, speaking formally of the Japanese grandparents he couldn't remember meeting and rarely heard from.

"They do," _Babbo_ told him with a slight nod, "But you realize that if I had never decided to stay, our own family wouldn't be here."

Takumi's blue eyes widened innocently in realization.

No _Mamma_...no Isami...no _Zio_ Aldini or cooking in _Trattoria Aldini_ …

None of it? Well then, that explained a lot. How could the world be any other way?

"Home isn't all about where you're born, son," _Babbo_ added. "It's about how you feel when you're in a place, and if you find balance and happiness whenever you're there."

The solemn head chef glanced over at the golden-haired beauty just a few feet away from him, making her specialty with pride lighting up her face. Takumi saw that genuine smile spread on his father's lips, the one that only came when he looked at her.

"I realized I only found that place when I was with your _okaasan_ ," _Babbo_ finished, "And if she wanted to stay in Italy, and wanted me to stay and to become a part of her family, part of **our** family, that's what I decided I was going to do."

Takumi pursed his lips in thought at how important that all sounded.

He would often catch himself thinking how weird it was that _Mamma_ and _Babbo_ got married in the first place. He knew they loved each other, but they were really, really different. _Mamma_ like the fire of the hottest oven, bright and burning. _Babbo_ like water from a cool fountain, always flowing and calm.

Maybe though, that's what _Zio_ had meant. They were two different kinds of people, but when his parents were together, they seemed completely happy. _Babbo_ could always soothe _Mamma_ when she got too angry, and she would always bring joy to his father's face when the man seemed lost within himself.

Together, they helped each other. Like he and Isami. They were different, but he was always the best when he was with his twin. Two different halves...hmm, now it made sense.

Takumi then grinned as another realization came to him.

"Well then," he stated proudly. "That means I'm always going to come back to Italy too! Because I have Isami! So we'll go visit the whole world, but then we'll always come back because it feels like home when we're together cooking in the _trattoria_ as brothers. Just like you said!"

Takumi didn't realize at the time that he couldn't speak for his twin. Especially since Isami always found a way to make fun of him when he did that. But he was the oldest, and he had just learned a very important lesson! Certainly, Isami couldn't mock him for that.

"That might be, son," _Babbo_ had replied, a secret smile on his face that told Takumi his father still knew something he didn't. "But don't you remember what your uncle told you? It will be your job and Isami's job to share the Aldini family name. One day, Isami might find someone else besides you that he feels at home with, and he'll want to stay with them in order to make the family grow. You too. There will be a girl someday that makes you feel the same, and she might not even be in Italy. So make sure you give yourself the chance to find her."

Takumi had wanted to protest that no girl could possibly replace his brother or their Italian family, but his mother called him over to help her dress the twenty desserts they would serve later that afternoon. He left and that was that. He didn't dare keep _Mamma_ waiting when she called.

But that sentiment of his father's would come back to him from time to time as he got older. He struggled with grasping how any place in the world could compare to the corner of paradise he had with Isami back in Florence.

Later on, however, it came to him.

It started out as a faint glimmer...when he inhaled the nostalgic scent of miso from a bento given to him by a Totsuki classmate. Given to him during one of the most unbalanced and distraught moments of his young life.

It came again, as that classmate would greet him with a smile as bright as his mother's. As she would ask him about recipes from his native country, showing the same serious interest in outside cultures that led his own father to venture to the Mediterranean.

When he tried to fight the distraction and focus on his goals, the feeling would rise whenever he had the chance to witness her enveloped in something she was equally passionate about. Whether it was a cooking challenge, a table tennis match, or even just hosting a great gathering of friends, he couldn't deny the smile that was triggered by the sight of her swaying blue braids and serious golden eyes determined to do their best.

The feeling was there as he invited her to share the Italian language of coffee with him on early mornings, and again when he would spend late nights studying with her immersed in fragrant cups of green tea.

When he would join her by the campus fountain, walk between classes, share meals with their Polar Star friends, and live life at Totsuki, he became at ease by her side just as he had been next to Isami during their entire childhood.

The understanding barrelled him over as she fell asleep beside him during a movie one night. Though the dark room was full of their distracted, whispering and equally unconscious peers, Takumi couldn't register anything except the place where her head rested delicately on his shoulder.

The first time he dared to utter her first name...and then to embrace her in his arms… and then to brush his lips against hers...there was never something so right and so harmonious in the entire world.

He had rebelled against the odds with her, and when he finally heard that all of that feeling and sentiment was truly being reciprocated on her end, he knew that this was it.

This was what his father had been talking about all this time.

"It feels like home when I'm with you, Megumi," he would confess to her adoringly, caressing her cheek and basking in her aura.

He knew they were both still so young. They were both still climbing the ranks at Totsuki. Still refining themselves as chefs and as people.

He knew better than his younger self, better than to expect that things could work out simply because all the feelings were there.

But he vowed to himself, in the name of his entire family and everything he stood for, that he would take this chance to find out.

* * *

 **RUN**

Throughout her childhood and adolescence, Megumi would never have considered herself the type to run away from home.

Migrating away, from even the idea of a stable environment, was the antithesis of the person everyone saw her as.

The perfect bride or future wife. A great help. Gifted at giving happiness. A supportive person who sacrificed anything she could for the benefit of others.

That was how Tadokoro Megumi was described by the people around her, and for the longest time, she had been perfectly happy with that.

When she left for Totsuki middle school, though she was filled with fear, she also had a clear list of goals in her mind.

Go see the world, at least once, like her mother had said.

Go and grow, become an amazing chef.

Go and meet new friends, acquaintances and mentors.

Go and learn from everything, and then come home.

Come home, back to the Ryokan, and make it the best it could ever be. Make it a place no one would ever want to leave, because why would she even want to leave it again?

The Ryokan was home. Tōhoku was home. It housed her family and friends and was the safest, most wonderful place she would ever know in her heart.

Of course, it was, until she had finally made it into the Polar Star dorm.

Until she met her best friends and dorm mates, and her small world and family became bigger.

Until she met people like Soma and Erina, masters of cooking and enthusiasts of life who were always reaching out towards the horizon for something bigger and better.

Until she had learned techniques and tasted recipes that had every corner of the world on her tongue, and secretly had her hungering for more.

Until she met giants hailing from those outside corners, like Nakiri Alice...Kurokiba Ryo...Hayama Akira...Aldini Isami and Takumi...

Giants that took their diversified talents and backgrounds and used them to bring new global experiences to those that sat at their tables.

Until she had met someone like Takumi...

Takumi...Takumi...

A young man that took his home culture, all that he had ever known, and fused it with hers. He effortlessly transformed the face of the traditional Japanese style cooking she had mastered past anything in her wildest dreams.

Soma had always been a source of inspiration and encouragement to her. His talent was ever expanding, and his x-factor came from his ability to bridge the gap between the pedestals of those that opposed him. He inspired Megumi to try beyond her limits.

But Takumi...well Megumi wasn't sure if the young blonde had any limits to speak of.

His creativity and refined performance in the kitchen seemed as easy as breathing. Megumi knew that talent was honed from plenty of hard work, but its origins were clearly raw and unbridled.

He was amazing, from day one at the training camp she had known.

Soma was her inspiration, but Takumi garnered from her a level of admiration that was foolish to aspire to.

Still...would it hurt to try?

That was her thought as she grew at Totsuki, transforming from a cowering, blundering wallflower into a welcoming garden of good cheer for everyone to visit through her cooking. Through all of her failures as a first year and all of her efforts of honing her skills, she had slowly become someone that she thought could stand equally beside the giants.

A peak moment to this personal change came when she stood with Soma, Erina and Takumi as they had fought against Central during Nakiri Azami's reign.

 _ **"I want to save everyone!"**_

She had proclaimed those words, with Takumi at her side, feeling that all of her growth to that moment had led to her rebellion.

Her fellow rebels thirsting for justice for their expelled comrades led Megumi to realize that, truly, for the first time, she didn't want to stay behind.

She didn't want to stay home in a stable safe place. She didn't have that luxury, especially when everything was about to be torn away from her. She had to move! She had to actively search for the things she wanted in life. This foreign restlessness in her that had finally boiled over, showed that somehow, "home" had changed.

If Totsuki burned to the ground tomorrow, Megumi knew that she would still have a future waiting at the Ryokan. She would always have the Ryokan and Tōhoku.

But even if that was her hometown, it wasn't "home" anymore.

Home right now was Totsuki, Polar Star, it was beside all of her friends. Those were the places she felt the happiest, the most confident, the most content.

No...not content.

That's where she felt the most motivated, and Megumi dreaded ever going back to a point where she would readily accept the safest option in her life.

For three years, she grew and grew, and "home" came to mean other things.

It was the satisfaction she got when she was able to hold her own on the Elite Ten Council and mentor kohais with that familiar, fearful expression at the culinary institute.

It came with the joy she felt as she made more memories and formed deep bonds with those she had considered so far above her. Particularly Nakiri Erina, who became one of her closest female friends.

It came with the serene passing of each day she spent with Yukihira Soma. He was best friend, that she had painfully come to realize, would never understand the depth of her devotion and gratitude to him.

And unexpectedly, it came to her in the form of Aldini Takumi, the young man on the ivory pedestal she had placed outside her reach.

Somehow, at some point, he had seen her from atop his placement. He had seen her and descended down, blessing her with a confidante and support system she hadn't been prepared for. Somehow, his interest in her had gone beyond her affiliation with Yukihira Soma and extended into his fascination for the person that she was...or maybe the person she was becoming?

It was a whirlwind she hadn't readied herself for, but at some point, she had succumbed to the spell of the Aldini, just like many young women before her. She was enraptured by the way he had suddenly become her greatest motivation, taking time to teach her all he knew and pushing limits with her as they created something new together.

His words...his voice...his eyes…

His skill...his passion...his loyalty…

And eventually, the touch of his hands...the warmth of his arms...the taste of his lips, which were far sweeter than any dessert he had ever made for her...

She had slowly unraveled and fallen for every single one of them.

"It feels like home when I'm with you, Megumi," he would tell her countless times, always caressing her face with his skilled fingertips and gazing into her with those blue eyes.

Toward the end of those three years at Totsuki, she would find herself willing to give up everything to spend every moment with him. They completed each other on levels she had been blind not to notice for so long. He challenged her, he inspired her, he comforted her, he knew the importance of expanding to horizons beyond one's own small corner of the world.

Megumi felt at home with him too. She had never been so content.

Content…

There it was, the thing she had secretly dreaded and the mutating worry that kept her up at night as their final school year together progressed.

If she was so content, what was supposed to happen now?

Italy, the Aldini family and his growing prestige amongst culinary headhunters called his name. Tōhoku, the Ryokan and a list of sponsors looking to capitalize on her homespun cooking skills called hers.

They had tried enjoying each day, avoiding the inevitable confusion that was to come, though sometimes Takumi couldn't stop himself from speaking hypothetically about their future.

When he had taken her to Florence for summer break their third year, to finally meet his family, Megumi had been flooded with a warm welcome. However, there was also some internally disconcerting compliments.

"She's perfect, _cuore mio!_ " Takumi's beautiful mother had cooed, in a goulash of Italian and simple Japanese that rivaled Nakiri Leonora's own linguistic skills. She spoke to her son while they spent a usual Mediterranean summer night eating a late dinner in the _trattoria_ , but Megumi could understand enough to blush uncomfortably. "Such a lady! She's a perfect fit to run an Aldini household, to run the entire restaurant! To do even more, of course! She may even be better at Japanese food than your _Babbo_! Ha! Though I'm sure he won't hold it against his future _nuora_. You two will be perfect."

" _Mamma! Ma Smettila! Per Favore!_ " Takumi had shrieked to her through his teeth, tomato red from the awkward embarrassment. All the while, his twin cackled to his own girlfriend that he'd brought home at the other end of the table.

Megumi was thrilled that Takumi's parents found favor with her, but it unsettled her that things seemed so...settled.

She received similar comments the times she would bring him to Tōhoku for the shorter school holidays, and every one had different expectations of how they would stay together. Takumi was usually considered at the forefront of those plans, with Megumi assuming a supportive role by his side with his dreams of taking Italy by storm. Several of the fisherman in her hometown had grilled Takumi like a newly caught saury, threatening that he better not hold her back from becoming a huge star, and the poor fashionable boy insisted he hadn't the thought to do so.

Yet, even in the iterations that could have them staying in Japan, maybe living in Tokyo, they were still stuck in one place all too soon.

Megumi felt trapped as the idea of the future shrunk before her, and the extra constriction between her and Takumi under the surface threatened to suffocate their relationship. He held onto her tighter each day as graduation was approaching, and Megumi feared he still didn't truly believe that he was the only one to occupy that part of her heart.

She trusted him with absolutely everything. What more did he want from her? She was trying! She was...she didn't know what more she could give him…

As Megumi once again began to feel the pressure of things potentially outside her control, an offer came that opened up the sky just a little bit more.

It was an offer to intern with the very corporation that was responsible for her transformation as a chef. She had the opportunity to serve and learn from people all over the world in the hospitality industry. She would be able to travel. She would wake up every day, still with more opportunities to grow.

It was all too perfect, and there was one specific detail that she knew would never sit well with Takumi.

And what about Takumi? What about them?

She didn't know what to do, but hadn't he said he would support her no matter what path she chose in life?

" _Ti voglio bene…"_

Between the whispers of " _ti adoro"_ and " _ti amo"_ and " _sei la mia stella polare,"_ the latter being her favorite way for him to express his devotion in Italian to her, " _ti voglio bene"_ was the phrase she clung to the most.

Because he'd meant it, hadn't he? Through every storm in her mind, she had trusted that he had meant those words with all of his heart.

Didn't he trust **her**? Didn't he trust that out of all the people that loved and supported her, he was one of the most important? Even out of the ones that would never have doubted her in the first place. She had tried everything she could to show him this, day after day, as the time to ignore the issue was running out.

Finally, the week before their graduation, the slow drift away from the person everyone had portrayed her as, became a desperate sprint.

On that misty spring night, alone in the dark, Megumi ran away from the safety and the hypothetical futures and the pure, homespun images everyone painted of her. She ran so she could prove to Takumi that this new found rebellion in her heart could work for the both of them, just as long as he'd meant what he'd said to her by that fountain at midnight.

She trusted him with everything. Absolutely everything.

Memorizing the way he murmured her name over and over again, she prayed that he finally understood.

Because she had to make a choice.

For five years going on, Megumi was thrilled with life.

Her mother and the Ryokan were set with enough financial backers adhering to Megumi's wisdom to keep her family set for ages, ridding her of the uncertainty of their future. She expanded her education beyond the semantics of the kitchen. She ventured to all of the corners of the world that she thought she could only visit through her taste buds. She built a repertoire of mentors that had once been shadows, overlooking her in favor of those greater giants.

She would still visit her hometown, her friends, her alma mater...the places she had once revered as her sanctuaries. However, "home" was now a metaphysical thing to her, something she ventured for in each place where the opportunity might arise for her to be embraced by that familiar feeling.

And with every new meeting she sat in discussing projects and future investments...with every new city she touched down in, toting sophisticated luggage and clothes on her body…

with every language she picked up and every recipe she perfected to compliment them…Megumi felt herself growing as a person, just as she had wanted.

But she also felt herself migrating farther and farther away from the idealized "home" she had searched for in the first place. The one she wanted for herself, instead of just bringing it others.

It was especially on the recent mornings of waking up to eyes that were no longer blue, that Megumi truly acknowledged the nomad she'd become.

The 15-year old girl with the blue braids, nervous stutter and the adorable smile...where was she? This jet-setting lifestyle had her living more like Soma-kun instead of the girl who couldn't comprehend the concept of wanderlust. When Megumi looked in the mirror these days, she saw a softer version of someone more like Erina-chan, instead of the old "Tadokoro-san." Was her true self even still in there?

Yes...yes she was. She had just evolved, exactly like she was meant to. Megumi still relapsed and apologized unnecessarily at times, but she would never apologize for choosing the chance to mature herself.

The craving for three foreign words, however, instilled in her regrets.

No matter where she went, something was always missing, and running wasn't going to get her any closer.

Not anymore.

* * *

 _ **A/N-**_

I gave _you guys two other thick drabbles, soooo...yay? "Home" actually wasn't a suggestion, but it was one I had an idea for when I first started the project, so I was excited to finally get it done. Thank you again to A Cinnamon Roll Writer for the "Run" prompt! Here is an update of drabbles currently in progress:_

 ** _PANTHEON (Inspired by an anonymous suggestion of Greek Mythology)_**

 ** _SILENCE (Suggested by_** Fresaton ** _)_**

 ** _EYES (Suggested by Madeline Axelle)_**

 ** _BELLA NOTTE (Inspired by Madeline Axelle) ;)_**

 _I probably do this from now on to try to keep track of my prompts and to keep you guys updated so you know I'm actually utilizing your suggestions!_

 _Thank you for all the reviews_ you _guys! I would love_ more, _since I'm such a glutton for feedback. ;) It also lets me know people actually read this story._

 _Thank you to my anonymous readers too! If you could do me a favor, tell me where you found this story! I saw someone mentioned it on_ tumblr _during an OTP shipping week (THANK YOU WHOEVER DID THAT!) and it made me curious to see where everyone is coming from._

 _Also, spread the word if you can! Light the TakuxMegu bat signal! Let others know we exist! Maybe my drabbles will help inspire some more full stories and we can add some more love to this fandom._

 _Thank you again!_

 _Till we dream again, Ciao!_

 _-Tasia_


	5. Eyes-Silence

**DRABBLES INCLUDED:**

EYES

SILENCE

 **EYES**

It had been an innocent comment.

One Megumi had stated carelessly in the company of Yuki and Ryoko. The night they had gotten back from the Hokkaido trip, right before the first year selection, they all said plenty of things she didn't think would be taken to heart.

Had she known what would follow after she'd uttered the words, she would have kept her mouth shut.

The setting was a stereotypical girl's night to relax before the impending challenge of the first year selection. This involved painting toes, gossiping, snacking, and trying out various DIY beauty treatments they found online. Because they were Totsuki students, they were also trying to see who could make the tastiest, edible recipe.

The topic of boys came up after they had all been browsing through Megumi's shoujo manga collection. Ryoko and she just laughed as Yuki complained about the limited selection of real "Prince Charming" characters they had in the school, let alone in the Polar Star Dorm.

All the bluenette had done was harmlessly chime in as Yuki extended her list of boys to include the Aldini brothers. The encounter with them on the streets of Hokkaido was recent, so it made sense to bring them up.

It also made sense to discuss Aldini Takumi's overwhelming charm and beauty as if it were the most obvious and factual thing in the world.

"Of course, Takumi-chii is one of the few acceptions," Yuki assured, slathering a thick layer of Megumi's avocado mask across her face. "Those European genes set him up to be the hottest thing on campus. We've all seen the girls in his fan club, they've been going nuts since middle school. Not to mention when you pair his looks with his cooking skills, his fluent Italian and his suave manners, no one meeting that dreamy kid stands a chance."

"Aldini-san's professionalism is definitely attractive," Ryoko added matter-of-factly, using a large clip to wrap up her long hair after Yuki's coconut based deep conditioner was generously applied. "He acts well put together most of the time, even if he does get riled up over certain things, like back in the restaurant or in front of Soma. But I suppose that could be an endearing quirk at times. He can't be 100% perfect. That's unreasonable for any person."

"I admire Takumi-kun's confidence," Megumi chimed in softly, testing the sweet sugar lip scrub Ryoko had pulled together. "He never seems to be afraid to stand up to anyone, like when he defended my order to a random stranger. I've noticed it since camp, and he's got the same kind of passion that reminds me of Soma-kun."

She paused and all the girls giggled, thinking how much the competitive Italian chef would probably take offense to that sentiment.

"I think with all that energy, that's probably why so many of our classmates want to be around him," Megumi continued, feeling the new softness of her lips, smiling wistfully to herself. "I can't blame them. Takumi-kun is a very inspirational person. And he has the most beautiful eyes."

That's all she had said.

Suddenly, Megumi found herself on trial.

A chip fell straight out of Yuki's hand on its way to her mouth, avocado dip from her face mask staining the carpet Ryoko always attempted to keep immaculate. The fermenting expert didn't even scold Yuki, as she was too busy coughing on the soda she was currently nursing.

They both looked at the girl with the same hungry, inquisitive eyes and their mouths formed into dangerous, unearthly grins.

Megumi quivered at the sudden change in atmosphere.

"Hmmmm? What was THAT, Megumi-chii?

"

Yuki crawled towards Megumi slowly on all fours. A dark, mischievous aura suddenly cloaked the girl like a miasma. With that eager, ravenous look, the green mask on the girl's face transformed her into a gruesome kappa, or some other amphibious creature, through Megumi's startling vision.

"You had something to say about Aldini-san? Something about his beauty, Megumi-chan?"

Ryoko joined in after Yuki, and somehow, the sturdy clip holding back her ruby locks had shifted out of place from her initial shock. Now the girl's wet hair fell in front of her face in blood red tendrils due to the thick conditioner. The ivory pallor of her skin likened her to the yokai Megumi would have nightmares about from all of the mainstream horror movies.

"W-what is going on with you guys?" Megumi squeaked out, almost knocking over the sugar scrub bowl by her foot as she scrambled back against Ryoko's bed.

"The eyes, was it?" Yuki groaned in delight. "How long have you been gazing into them, Me-gu-mi-chii?"

She pronounced every syllable of Megumi's nickname in a way that made the poor country girl turn paler than humanly possible.

"Tell us about his eyes, Megumi-chan," Ryoko begged, dark eyes gleaming behind matted hair as her ivory hand reached toward her friend.

 _ **"Yes, tell us!"**_

 _ **"Tell us..."**_

 _ **"Tell us!"**_

Both girls chanted menacingly.

Megumi wasn't sure what was happening, but she would have taken her chances with Soma's demonic recipes instead of face whatever had just possessed her friends.

"I don't understand why you two are acting like this!" Megumi shrieked with embarrassed hysteria.

"You just admitted to admiring Aldimi Takumi's beauty, and you didn't think we would freak out?" Yuki growled through her teeth, her eyes widened in equal confusion toward the trembling bluenette.

"B-but-b-but!" Megumi sputtered defensively. "You two just finished talking about him too! I just joined in, because we were all just talking! He has a whole fan club of girls saying much crazier things! W-why is this such a big deal?"

"Seriously?" Yuki retorted with fury, taking Megumi's shoulders and shaking the timid girl within an inch of her life. "How do you not understand how insane this is! Ryoko-chii, please, explain it to her!"

Ryoko managed to compose herself, reassemble her hair, and then drag Yuki off Megumi's trembling person.

"Megumi-chan, we know you well," Ryoko said, keeping the frustrated girl with orange buns at bay. "Whenever you talk about someone, you always choose to focus on their personality or their skill, never on what people might perceive about them from the outside."

"But I did that!" Megumi exclaimed. "You both did that!"

"Yes, but then you mentioned his eyes!" Yuki rebuffed, huffily dipping a chip against her face and munching in contempt. "You never talk about anyone's looks. You're too darn polite. Forget about mentioning out loud that you ever find anyone handsome! Not even Soma!"

Megumi blushed deeply.

"Wait! I-I don't think about Soma-kun like-"

"Nuh-uh," Yuki said, silencing the girl abruptly, pointing at her accusingly with the half-eaten corn flour snack. "We're not even trying to tackle that one tonight, Megumi-chii. Only one oblivious love interest at a time."

"Yuki-chan!" Megumi shrieked in mortification.

She loved her fellow Polar Star girls like biological sisters, but they were really going too far.

"Yuki-chan! Enough!" Ryoko said sharply, silencing Yuuki's rant in the maternal voice she had perfected.

She turned back to Megumi, a gentle look in her eyes, but a sigh on her lips that seemed to agree with Yuki against her better judgment.

"All we're saying, Megumi-chan, is that for you to make a comment like that, even offhandedly, is rather rare," Ryoko said, adding her final two-sense. "If you found yourself noticing Aldini-san's eyes, there must be a reason, isn't there?"

"I-I-"

Megumi was frozen, unsure of what to say.

Ryoko turned to Yuki and started lecturing her to clean up the chips she'd dropped on the floor, leaving the bluenette to her thoughts.

Was there a reason?

What was there to say except that something behind the Italian chef's eyes entranced her, just like it did everyone else.

She was a port town girl. Of course she was going to admire a color that put the most serene of seascapes to shame. Watery blue irises were nostalgic to people like her, weren't they? Though serene wasn't quite the word one could use when Takumi-kun churned his spirit into a storm that reflected in his eyes.

A reflection of massive tidal waves of will power and entire hurricanes with a burning inferno of passion running through the center. This may have sounded like an exaggeration to some, but no one that had witnessed the Aldini in the midst of a shokugeki could ever disagree with her.

It was just like Soma-kun, really.

Her dear friend had eyes that flickered with the warmth of a single comforting candle flame, but when a challenge was issued, a wildfire ignited behind them that consumed everything in his determined path.

That must have been it. The rivaling boys were so alike, even on that level, she wasn't able to avoid noticing the comparison.

Soma's glowing eyes began to dominate her thoughts, and another blush colored her cheeks in secret.

Wouldn't it be ironic, that sometime much later past that night, that boy with the sea blue eyes she pushed to the back of her mind would use a similar comparison for her very presence.

Her eyes, her smile, her nature, her own will power...he would liken them all to the glow of a candle, of a fireplace hearth.

A steadily burning flame that drew him in and welcomed him home with its warmth.

A warmth that would utterly consume him when he dared to get close enough to be burned.

 **SILENCE**

Megumi scrolled through the photos on her phone with empty eyes.

The Parisian cityscape twinkled against an oncoming sunrise, and she had the most breathtaking view from the luxury suite the Totsuki group had gifted her in their new European resort.

Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

The upcoming conference Totsuki was hosting would have their business partners from five continents under the grandiose roof of the resort. Megumi had been charged with coordinating the specialty guest accommodations and attending to any concerns that would come to the staff. Since taking on the internship after graduation, her superiors had dictated that her word was law after her impressive performance at guest relations.

Shino's would be catering two exclusive dinners for the three-day event, and Shinomiya-senpai had also called on her to manage the dining room and its aesthetic. He needed to utilize every member of his primary staff to handle the meals, and she seemed to be the only one he trusted to handle his vision outside of the kitchen.

She would be managing a lot tomorrow, she had to be up in mere hours.

So why was she up right now?

Why was she scrolling through social media, not to catch up on her friend's post-graduation lives all over the world, but to distract herself?

Maybe she was trying to torture herself.

The room was quiet, and the sound soft breathing next to her in the magnificent four poster suite bed didn't prompt her to disturb that peace.

An old anxiety crept up as her mind ran through all the possible repercussions for her most recent actions.

What had she just done?

What were they doing?

Was it wonderful...yes, but...what now?

Wasn't that always her greatest fear about this from the beginning?

Some say the pain of never knowing a secret love is worth the risk to try, but Megumi had only confirmed what she had always known about the man beside her.

She would cross oceans, walk through fire, search under every rock on planet earth... just to find the key to his happiness.

He had always done the same for her, but now it was so much worse.

Now there was no buffer of separation for those feelings. Now her wants and needs had no end or beginning. They just ravaged her mind during, what should be, one of the most serene moments of her life.

He had always burned so brightly, he was a wildfire in her eyes.

The only difference now was that she shone just as bright. Her timid little candle soul was now a glowing forge as she seized and created every new opportunity for herself.

Two flames meeting in harmony were unstoppable.

Maybe in a different situation, this would be fine.

But with the increase in workload, starting online university classes, the haunting longing she'd always felt and the recent heartbreak from the past two years...it had ambushed the moment with a flash flood of gasoline.

This terrified Megumi now that she had nothing to quench the flames.

She felt her fingers tremble as she swiped through the pictures on her phone even faster.

" _Why does it feel like this?"_ the bluenette questioned in her mind, scrolling over Alice's latest outfit selfie and Hisako's wisdom quote as she searched aimlessly. " _I used to have dreams I'd never admit, dreams where he called my name...just like that…"_

Her body betrayed her mind, and memories of the evening sent the best kind of shivers through her skin.

" _Why...when this is literally everything I ever wanted before-"_

Her thoughts drifted off as she saw a picture of Ikumi in Florence for the umpteenth time, posing against a Mediterranean sunset and looking back seductively, most likely at her boyfriend who had been behind the phone camera.

The nostalgia of that sunset shot a wave of pain through Megumi's chest that overrode the mixed euphoria and anxiety she had been feeling.

She started scrolling faster, not admitting to herself what she was subconsciously looking for.

Maybe she should have unfollowed him ages ago for her own sanity, but she always thought there was something so final about that gesture.

She still cared about his well-being and his family, after all.

She still enjoyed coming across updates of their lives and his recent achievements.

Even if she never liked or commented on the posts, she still loved coming across his face in her feed by accident. Just to remind her what the calm in the storm used to look like.

It had been a while, months maybe since she'd seen those blue eyes smoldering into the camera for his ridiculous amount of followers and-

" _ **What..."**_

The audible word escaped her lips before she could stop it. Her thumb paused on the image of a couple sharing a bowl of ramen, Lady and the Tramp style. They leaned towards each other, noses almost touching adorably, in a similar position to the iconic canine couple in the Disney movie.

The post was from Kawashima Urara's account.

Urara-san wore a cute, puckered expression as she slurped on a long section of noodles with the boy across from her in the photo. The girl's big brown eyes glittered enthusiastically towards the camera.

Her blonde partner on the other end of the noodles had a similar expression, but his sea blue eyes looked only at her.

On top of a flurry of hashtags and a rainbow of emojis, the post description had one caption in English:

 **BELLA NOTTE IN KYOTO**

Megumi wanted to throw up her heart.

" _Hm, they're a cute couple,"_ she thought instantly, trying to rationalize the oncoming emotions. " _Urara-san has always been an idol. It makes sense her and Takumi-kun would look good together. I wonder how they-"_

The phone dropped from her fingers onto the satin sheets before she realized how much her hand was shaking.

She leaned forward, cradling her head in her fingertips tips as she closed her eyes.

Megumi wasn't stupid. She had made her choice, and she knew they both would inevitably date other people after the way things were left.

However, they had done a fairly good job of keeping any romantic attention off of their profiles for the past few years, due to their shared nature of privacy. It was almost an unspoken rule.

But Kawashima Urara clearly didn't apply to that rule now, and she was going to put her recent conquest on full display. As she should.

Takumi-kun was too beautiful to go on without loving someone.

The questions in Megumi's mind echoed again, and now the silence surrounding her life was maddening.

She decided to turn off the phone and store it in the bedside drawer out of sight, and her movements disturbed the figure beside her.

" _ **Me-gu-mi…"**_

An exhausted voice came from her right and Megumi immediately felt guilty. The poor guy rarely slept as it was, and he needed it just as badly as she did for the oncoming day.

"It's nothing," Megumi whispered to him as she tried to fix the disheveled covers and pull them further up his back. "Just rest. You'll need it in the kitchen tomorrow."

The voice hummed in agreement, probably still unconscious to begin with, as warm arms reached to encircle her waist.

Megumi allowed the embrace as she leaned back on the pillow, staring into the ceiling, searching for answers in the darkness.

" _I just need to stop looking at my accounts for a while,"_ Megumi thought, trying to block the idea of all the couple pictures that might pop up on Urara's account in the future. " _I just need to block out all the noise...and focus…"_

On what, or even who besides herself now, Megumi wasn't sure. But she assumed now wasn't the time to figure all of this out.

She looked to the exhausted young man sharing her bed, running her fingers gently through his auburn colored hair.

It was clear that he wouldn't be able to give her any of those answers any time soon, either.

Megumi closed her eyes and decided to allow the flames of this rendezvous to engulf her. Had she been holding onto something since graduation without realizing it?

Something that was long gone apparently…

She let go...exhaled...and let herself drown in all of the silence and uncertainty as sleep took her. How she wished she could still drown those sea blue eyes instead.

 _ **A/N-**_

 _All rightie, so I definitely know I'm two drabbles short of what I promised last chapter. I can't apologize to you guys, or myself, enough really. Life has gotten a bit overwhelming, but I've been sitting on the drabbles for EYES (submitted by Madeline Axelle) and SILENCE (submitted by Fresaton)_ _for a while now. I felt like I should at least give you guys something, even if it was a double Megumi feature in this chapter. I usually like to have a balance of perspective between the couple, and I had originally planned to, but the inspiration to finish drabbles UNIQUE and PANTHEON has proven difficult._

 _Which is REALLY frustrating, because they're almost done. I'll force myself, I promise._

 _Until now, I hope you enjoyed more of my post graduation Megumi angst fest. Please leave more word suggestions if you like! I'll be rereading all of your comments to try and get some fresh inspiration._

 _If you'd also like to help inspire me in other ways, leave a suggestion for "the perfect TakuMegu song" in the comments for me to add to my writing playlist for this story. OR leave the name of another TakuMegu story you like for me to read and get inspired by, in addition for others to read and get their TakuMegu fix while I'm plagued by plot bunnies. Thank you to everyone who has commented and followed the story so far._

 _I'm amazed that my interconnected little drabbles are worth up to 39 reviews and 33 faves._

 _You guys keep me going, you really do. :)_

 _Till this writing nightmare of mine ends, Ciao!_

 _-Tasia_


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